About us
Building better homes in Austin since 2009
Oakline is a family-owned design-build firm. One team designs, plans and builds your renovation, so nothing gets lost between the drawing and the job site.
Our story
It started with one kitchen and a handshake
In 2009, Tom Whitaker was a carpenter tired of watching clients get burned by vague estimates and contractors who disappeared mid-project. His wife Elena, an interior designer, saw the same thing from the design side: beautiful plans, built badly.
So they started Oakline with a simple promise: design and build under one roof, give every client one fixed price, and treat every home like their own. That first kitchen in Travis Heights led to a referral, then another.
Today we’re a team of 24 designers, project managers and craftspeople, and more than 70% of our work still comes from referrals and repeat clients.
- Projects
- 640+
- Team members
- 24
- Rating
- 4.9★
What we believe
Four promises we make on every project
Craft over speed
We would rather take an extra day than cut a corner. Our finish carpenters build in our own shop so details are right the first time.
Honest numbers
Fixed-price proposals, itemized and explained. If something changes, you hear it from us before it happens, never on an invoice.
Respect for your home
Dust barriers, floor protection and a clean site every evening. We work like we are guests, because we are.
Rooted in Austin
We live here, our kids go to school here, and 17 years of referrals depend on doing right by our neighbors.
The team
The people in your home
You’ll meet every one of them. Our core team has worked together for an average of nine years.
- TW
Tom Whitaker
Co-founder & Head of Construction
25 years in residential construction. Still walks every job site weekly.
- EW
Elena Whitaker
Co-founder & Design Director
Interior designer who leads every project’s plans, renderings and selections.
- AM
Alex Moreno
Lead Project Manager
Your single point of contact and author of those Friday photo updates.
- SO
Sam Okafor
Master Finish Carpenter
Runs our cabinet and millwork shop in East Austin.
- Licensed & fully insured$2M general liability coverage
- 5-year warrantyOn all workmanship, in writing
- Lead-safe certified crewsSafe work in pre-1978 homes
Start your project
Let’s build a home you love coming back to.
Tell us about your project and we’ll schedule a free, no-pressure consultation within 48 hours.
- Free in-home consultation
- Fixed-price proposal
- 5-year warranty